1839 - April (vol. II, no. IV)

A review of The Phenix [[Phoenix]] (American Museum, I. no. III, November 1838).
The review is not signed and Poe’s possible authorship has generally been dismissed. W. D. Hull comments, “It
has been suggested that this long and rambling notice may be Poe’s. That it is not his a few sentences will make
clear . . . [Hull quotes several sentences] . . . Brooks I believe to be the author” (Hull, 1941,
p. 695).

A tale, “The Atlantis, a Southern World” (American
Museum, all issues, September 1838 - June 1839). This amateurish satire is signed by Peter Prospero (clearly a
pseudonym). A. H. Quinn suggested that it may have been by Poe, admitting, “The evidence for Poe’s authorship
is largely internal. . . . Toward the end occur several passages which are distinctly in Poe’s
manner” (Quinn, 1941, p. 757). H&C later quoted T. O. Mabbott as saying “As I understand it, Professor
Quinn only thinks Poe may have assisted in the story, writing a few passages here and there” (H&C, p. 145).

On September 4, 1838, Poe replied to N. C. Brooks’ request for a review of Washington
Irving’s works. Poe declined, claiming, “The truth is, I can hardly say that I am conversant with
Irving’s writings, having read nothing of his since I was a boy, save his ‘Granada.’ It would be
necessary to give his entire works a reperusal. You see, therefore, the difficulty at once” ( Poe to Brooks, September 4, 1838). Whatever were Poe’s reasons for not
reviewing Irving, it was certainly not a lack of familiarity with his works as Poe had already reviewed The Crayon
Miscellany (Southern Literary Messenger, December 1835) and Astoria (Southern Literary
Messenger, January 1837). Poe reveals a greater acquantaince than he is willing to admit by continuing in the same
letter, “It is a theme upon which I would like very much to write, for there is a vast deal to be said upon it.
Irving is much overrated, and a nice distinction might be drawn between his just and his surreptitious and adventitious
reputation — between what is due to the pioneer solely, and what to the writer.” It may be that Poe was already
contemplating the creation of his own magazine and was reluctant to “use up” (as Poe might say) the prominent
American author, whose services he might need to call upon. Ultimately, N. C. Brooks wrote the review “American
Authors, No. 1 Washington Irving” for the September 1838 issue of the American Museum. (The review is credited
to Brooks in the table of contents for volume I.)